Importance of computer science education
The primary aim of a computer science teacher should be to inculcate logical thinking and problem-solving skills
The writer is an undergrad student at the Institute of Business Administration with a keen interest in semantic web and data mining. He can be reached at syedasilalinaqvi@gmail.com
Imagine a world without Google and you will see your life immediately coming to a standstill. That is the power of Google — a tiny fraction of the products powered by the science behind computers, saving the users a great amount of their precious time.
Indisputably, computer science has affected the entire human race in such a way that there is no point of going back. In order to survive, one has to be on a par with the continuously unfolding trends of time. So, it is becoming mandatory for everyone to receive quality computer education irrespective of what field they have chosen to pursue.
Today, we are evolving towards a more and more computer-dependent society. As a matter of fact, almost every modern technology, whether directly or indirectly, depends on the applications of computer science. The advent of artificial intelligence (AI), a branch of computer science, in particular has played a pivotal role in changing the dynamics of the professions throughout the world. A New Zealand-made mobile app named Betty is being used by local dairy farmers to replace veterinarians. Farmers using the app are presented with a series of questions, with the response combined with regional farm and weather data to produce a list of the most likely causes of disease in their animals.
Now this is just one instance of the utility of AI, where the farmers who probably have little or no computer education will, firstly, have to get training to make use of the application. The point of stating this is to highlight the necessity of gaining the computer education. The future demands every individual working or not working to be highly equipped with modern computer education.
Apart from the growing necessity of computer education in modern life and general social context, computer education helps in developing mental capabilities which are required to solve deep and multidimensional problems requiring imagination and sensitivity to a variety of concerns. Programming, which resides at the heart of computer science, is the main process of problem-solving. No matter what your field is, a course in basic programming will help you better your logical thinking and the ability to abstract. By being able to think logically, you can better connect ideas together and make your point in a more coherent manner.
However, is teaching computer science different from other subjects? Since the discipline encompasses the processes such as programming and designing solution, it is said to involve logical thinking and mathematical modeling. It is highly efficient to learn by doing. Unlike other disciplines, an effective methodology of teaching computer science revolves more around the practical tasks than the theory.
A computer science teacher must need to have certain distinctive traits that distinguish him from other teachers. The first and foremost quality he or she must possess is to be a good facilitator. What facilitated learning does is it encourages the students to take more control of their learning process. A facilitator is meant to guide and assist the students in learning for themselves — picking up different problem sets, forming their own algorithms and creating solutions through logical thinking.
Unlike many other disciplines, computer science is a very fast-paced discipline. One can never guarantee that the concepts and practices that prevail now would be there tomorrow. Therefore, it becomes very difficult for the teachers to keep up with the continually changing technology in a particular field. However, if a teacher is a facilitator he will become an integral part of the group of students to solve the problem. This sort of teaching methodology not only encourages the students but also invigorate the learning process of a teacher without affecting his or her self-esteem in front of their students.
Ultimately, the primary aim of a computer science teacher should be to inculcate logical thinking and problem-solving skills which are the underlying basis of the modern computer education pressingly needed to cope with the emerging challenges of day to day life.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 6th, 2017.
Indisputably, computer science has affected the entire human race in such a way that there is no point of going back. In order to survive, one has to be on a par with the continuously unfolding trends of time. So, it is becoming mandatory for everyone to receive quality computer education irrespective of what field they have chosen to pursue.
Today, we are evolving towards a more and more computer-dependent society. As a matter of fact, almost every modern technology, whether directly or indirectly, depends on the applications of computer science. The advent of artificial intelligence (AI), a branch of computer science, in particular has played a pivotal role in changing the dynamics of the professions throughout the world. A New Zealand-made mobile app named Betty is being used by local dairy farmers to replace veterinarians. Farmers using the app are presented with a series of questions, with the response combined with regional farm and weather data to produce a list of the most likely causes of disease in their animals.
Now this is just one instance of the utility of AI, where the farmers who probably have little or no computer education will, firstly, have to get training to make use of the application. The point of stating this is to highlight the necessity of gaining the computer education. The future demands every individual working or not working to be highly equipped with modern computer education.
Apart from the growing necessity of computer education in modern life and general social context, computer education helps in developing mental capabilities which are required to solve deep and multidimensional problems requiring imagination and sensitivity to a variety of concerns. Programming, which resides at the heart of computer science, is the main process of problem-solving. No matter what your field is, a course in basic programming will help you better your logical thinking and the ability to abstract. By being able to think logically, you can better connect ideas together and make your point in a more coherent manner.
However, is teaching computer science different from other subjects? Since the discipline encompasses the processes such as programming and designing solution, it is said to involve logical thinking and mathematical modeling. It is highly efficient to learn by doing. Unlike other disciplines, an effective methodology of teaching computer science revolves more around the practical tasks than the theory.
A computer science teacher must need to have certain distinctive traits that distinguish him from other teachers. The first and foremost quality he or she must possess is to be a good facilitator. What facilitated learning does is it encourages the students to take more control of their learning process. A facilitator is meant to guide and assist the students in learning for themselves — picking up different problem sets, forming their own algorithms and creating solutions through logical thinking.
Unlike many other disciplines, computer science is a very fast-paced discipline. One can never guarantee that the concepts and practices that prevail now would be there tomorrow. Therefore, it becomes very difficult for the teachers to keep up with the continually changing technology in a particular field. However, if a teacher is a facilitator he will become an integral part of the group of students to solve the problem. This sort of teaching methodology not only encourages the students but also invigorate the learning process of a teacher without affecting his or her self-esteem in front of their students.
Ultimately, the primary aim of a computer science teacher should be to inculcate logical thinking and problem-solving skills which are the underlying basis of the modern computer education pressingly needed to cope with the emerging challenges of day to day life.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 6th, 2017.